Kolkata, March 15: For the BJP, the 2019 Lok Sabha election is a challenge that they are taking seriously on the soil of West Bengal. After its vote-share rocketed to 17 per cent in the 2014 general election in a state where the saffron party remained a fringe force throughout history, the BJP is eyeing to increase it further to challenge the ruling the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Recently, a number of leaders from the TMC have changed base to join the BJP and the trend has encouraged the saffron brigade. The central leadership has decided to back candidates with winnability, even if such candidates are defectors from opposition camps.

According to local reports, the BJP is even thinking of releasing mini manifestoes for each of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies besides one central one. The report cited the BJP's internal sources to say that such a recommendation has come from the district committees to the party's state leadership. Work is also on to create WhatsApp groups featuring voters at the booth level so that the achievements of the BJP-led government at the Centre can be boasted about.

The TMC has already released its list of candidates soon after the Election Commission announced the election schedule. As the main challenger of the ruling party, the BJP (though it has just two MPs from the state) is also speeding up to come up with its list.

On Thursday, one of the TMC MLAs Arjun Singh joined the BJP after failing to find a ticket for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. He said he was disillusioned with TMC chief Mamata Banerjee after she sought evidence for the air strikes in Balakot and also taunted the "Ma, Mati, Manush" party as "money, money, money" party.

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